Cruel confirmation of AA's ranking as worst airline (inflexible with BE tickets)
Feb 7, 2020, 10:10 am
#31
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW-In Plano & CDG-In the 11th
Programs: DL Diamond, AA revenue negative, Bonvoy Titanium +, Avis likes me
Posts: 3,209
I appreciate all these comments. Perhaps I should have clarified two things:
1) I typically fly SWA, and as stated above the situation would have been very different in that case. They don't fly non-stop to Washington, which is why I made the choice to book with AA.
2) My argument isn't a LEGAL one at all; I am not claiming that they are violating their contract with me. What I am claiming is that they are applying their rules rigidly in a situation where I think a compassionate one-time exception would have been warranted. I happen to be a law professor and an attorney. I had given AA a lot of business of late, I had a good reason for missing a flight; this clearly was not a hidden-city abuse or any other kind of abuse. They responded bureaucratically and in an unfeeling way. Not, in my humble opinion (yours may of course differ) how to run an airline.
1) I typically fly SWA, and as stated above the situation would have been very different in that case. They don't fly non-stop to Washington, which is why I made the choice to book with AA.
2) My argument isn't a LEGAL one at all; I am not claiming that they are violating their contract with me. What I am claiming is that they are applying their rules rigidly in a situation where I think a compassionate one-time exception would have been warranted. I happen to be a law professor and an attorney. I had given AA a lot of business of late, I had a good reason for missing a flight; this clearly was not a hidden-city abuse or any other kind of abuse. They responded bureaucratically and in an unfeeling way. Not, in my humble opinion (yours may of course differ) how to run an airline.
1. In future, try to book one ways only, at your price. Just in case. She may/will argue again.
2. AA is now all about not moving self-loading cargo, but $, $, and more $$
3. Just because it might make sense in the "legal" world, or the "Common sense" world, it doesn't mean it makes sense in "Airline" world.
Feb 7, 2020, 10:18 am
#33
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Just a note to clarify: when I bought my 18 tickets, the RT was exactly twice the price of the OW ticket. That was visible on the ticket seen by the rep. when I phoned. By informing them in advance that a family issue prevented my taking the outbound flight, I was in essence paying for two flights and flying only one flight. I was allowing them to resell a ticket they had already sold to me. That's how I see it, and I don't think that's an abusive way to see it. [FWIW, and while recognizing that what follows is irrelevant to the rules, I don't think $275 to fly RT GSP/DCA is such a cheapo fare as to justify AA's behavior, and I think booking 18 tickets on AA might have qualified me for a tiny bit of understanding.]
”In essence” is meaningless when AA clearly defines the rules governing a particular fare. It appears you gambled and lost.
see https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html
Theres a lot of useful information here that can help you enhance your travel. And you’ll find similar basic economy tickets on other airlines are equally devoid of flexibility.
Feb 7, 2020, 10:19 am
#34
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Roswell, GA
Programs: AA EXP 2.8m,Lifetime PLT, Hilton Diamond, IHG PlLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,191
OK.. so people know the rules.. but hope that the company has understanding when the rules dont work for them.
Sorry OP , U understand that you need to be there for a major event,but at this point I would start looking for ways to get back... and there is nothing AA is going to do for you.
Sorry OP , U understand that you need to be there for a major event,but at this point I would start looking for ways to get back... and there is nothing AA is going to do for you.
Feb 7, 2020, 10:24 am
#37
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: pleb
Posts: 563
How is this relevant? Are airlines companies supposed to make exception for law professors and attorneys? As much as I think AA is pretty crappy in general, they did nothing wrong here. SWA has different pricing/business model. You bought AA ticket with AA rules, not SWA ticket.
Feb 7, 2020, 10:35 am
#39
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,757
Then you should know better, particularly when you're buying 18 tickets.
I'd also delete the date from your original post. SCOTUS calendars are public, and Orrick isn't stingy about compensating their appellate group. Buy a new ticket.
I'd also delete the date from your original post. SCOTUS calendars are public, and Orrick isn't stingy about compensating their appellate group. Buy a new ticket.
Feb 7, 2020, 10:43 am
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,189
There are lots of reasons to consider AA to be the worst airline in the world but selling you a product that you willingly bought and holding you to the fare rules is not one of them.
And in no way shape or form does attending someone elses professional engagement (no matter how august the forum) come under any sort of compassionate exeception rule especially where the fare rules don't allow changes.
And AA have probbaly oversold the flight already.
And in no way shape or form does attending someone elses professional engagement (no matter how august the forum) come under any sort of compassionate exeception rule especially where the fare rules don't allow changes.
And AA have probbaly oversold the flight already.
Feb 7, 2020, 10:48 am
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Of course, that means 2 change fees if you are not using either ticket. Not an issue with BE as there are no changes permitted
Feb 7, 2020, 10:59 am
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
I appreciate all these comments. Perhaps I should have clarified two things:
1) I typically fly SWA, and as stated above the situation would have been very different in that case. They don't fly non-stop to Washington, which is why I made the choice to book with AA.
2) My argument isn't a LEGAL one at all; I am not claiming that they are violating their contract with me. What I am claiming is that they are applying their rules rigidly in a situation where I think a compassionate one-time exception would have been warranted. I happen to be a law professor and an attorney. I had given AA a lot of business of late, I had a good reason for missing a flight; this clearly was not a hidden-city abuse or any other kind of abuse. They responded bureaucratically and in an unfeeling way. Not, in my humble opinion (yours may of course differ) how to run an airline.
1) I typically fly SWA, and as stated above the situation would have been very different in that case. They don't fly non-stop to Washington, which is why I made the choice to book with AA.
2) My argument isn't a LEGAL one at all; I am not claiming that they are violating their contract with me. What I am claiming is that they are applying their rules rigidly in a situation where I think a compassionate one-time exception would have been warranted. I happen to be a law professor and an attorney. I had given AA a lot of business of late, I had a good reason for missing a flight; this clearly was not a hidden-city abuse or any other kind of abuse. They responded bureaucratically and in an unfeeling way. Not, in my humble opinion (yours may of course differ) how to run an airline.
Feb 7, 2020, 11:00 am
#45
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW-In Plano & CDG-In the 11th
Programs: DL Diamond, AA revenue negative, Bonvoy Titanium +, Avis likes me
Posts: 3,209
I was not asking for a refund, and I was not asking for a change. I was not able to use one leg I had paid for, and wished only to use the other leg I had paid for. I was told to buy it again.
Again, and perhaps ad nauseam, I am not making a legal claim here. I am making an ethical claim here. I am in my 60's, have taken many hundreds of flights, and have occasionally (maybe 3-4 times) been in an unusual situation perhaps not explicitly contemplated by the rules. Southwest always listened. American treated me like chopped liver. Many of you address only the legalities here, and I'm sorry I was unable to communicate that that's not what my post was really about.
Again, and perhaps ad nauseam, I am not making a legal claim here. I am making an ethical claim here. I am in my 60's, have taken many hundreds of flights, and have occasionally (maybe 3-4 times) been in an unusual situation perhaps not explicitly contemplated by the rules. Southwest always listened. American treated me like chopped liver. Many of you address only the legalities here, and I'm sorry I was unable to communicate that that's not what my post was really about.
OP is a lawyer. He/she lost going in with a losing case to start. Now he/she is looking for an appeals court.
Best of luck to your daughter.